Hurricane Milton Approaches Florida

Photo: Spencer Platt Getty Images/Agence France-Presse The Ybor City neighborhood is nearly empty as Hurricane Milton approaches, October 8, 2024 in Tampa, Florida.

Terry Spencer – Associated Press and Haven Daley – Associated Press in Tampa

Published at 10:23 a.m. Updated at 10:28 a.m.

• United States

Hurricane Milton moved closer Wednesday to a potentially catastrophic collision with the west coast of Florida, where some residents insisted on staying after millions were ordered to evacuate, and officials warned that stragglers were unlikely to survive.

The Tampa Bay area, home to more than 3.3 million people, is at risk of massive destruction after being spared major hurricanes for more than a century. The National Hurricane Center forecast that Milton, a Category 5 hurricane for most of its approach, would likely weaken but remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday.

“ Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the center warned.

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Rain and flood risk

Milton was centered about 300 miles (485 kilometers) southwest of Tampa early Wednesday with maximum sustained winds of 160 mph (260 kph), the hurricane center reported. It was moving northeast at 14 mph (22 kph) early Wednesday and was expected to continue moving that way with increasing speed through Wednesday night, with landfall expected late Wednesday or early Thursday morning. It was expected to turn east-northeast and east Thursday and Friday.

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Heavy rain began spreading across parts of southwest and west-central Florida ahead of Milton early Wednesday, and weather conditions were expected to deteriorate across parts of Florida's Gulf Coast throughout the day, the center said.

Rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches (15 to 31 centimeters), with local accumulations of up to 18 inches (46 centimeters), are expected in central and northern Florida through Thursday, bringing the potential for catastrophic and life-threatening flash flooding and urban flooding, as well as moderate to severe river flooding. Multiple tornadoes were likely Wednesday in parts of central and southern Florida.

Forecasters expect the storm to maintain hurricane strength as it moves through central Florida on Thursday, heading toward the Atlantic Ocean. The hurricane's precise path remains uncertain, with forecasters changing its predicted track Tuesday night to slightly south of Tampa.

Evacuations and remnants of “Helene”

Thousands of fleeing cars clogged Florida highways ahead of the storm's arrival, but time for evacuations was running out Wednesday. Tampa Mayor Jane Castor noted that the 15-foot storm surge forecast for her city would be deep enough to swallow an entire home.

“If you're inside, that's the coffin you're in,” Castor thundered.

Milton targets communities still reeling two weeks after Hurricane Helene flooded streets and homes in West Florida as it made its devastating march that killed at least 230 people across the South.

In the coastal city of Punta Gorda, about 100 miles south of Tampa, streets were still filled Tuesday with 5-foot mounds of sodden furniture, clothing, books, appliances and other trash hauled out of damaged homes.

Authorities issued mandatory evacuation orders for 11 Florida counties, which have a combined population of about 5.9 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

Authorities warned that anyone left behind would have to fend for themselves because first responders would not risk their lives attempting rescues at the height of the storm.

State and local governments scrambled ahead of the storm to to remove the piles of debris left in the wake of Hélène, fearing that the impending hurricane could turn the debris into flying missiles. Gov. Ron DeSantis said the state had deployed more than 300 dump trucks that had removed 1,300 truckloads of debris.

In Mexico, authorities in the state of Yucatan reported minor damage from Milton as it passed just offshore. Power lines, utility poles and trees were toppled near the coast, and some small thatched-roof structures were destroyed, Yucatan Gov. Joaquín Díaz said. He did not report any deaths or injuries.